I carried on down the passage way for a little while, when I came up to a large cavern. I didn't enter straight away, instead I looked around for any potential dangers.
The cavern was huge with two large passageways, one on either side of the cavern, swell as several small holes, similar to the one I was in at the moment. I could hear the echo of the drips falling of the stalactites and a soft crunching sound coming from the far side of the cavern.
I activated stealth and stayed dead still.
I didn't know what was making the crunching sound as it was too dark to see even with my night vision skill but I knew it must be some kind of monster.
I needed to pass through this cavern to search for an exit but I don't want to risk fighting something like that giant spider from earlier. I figured my best option was to try and sneak to one of the smaller hole hoping they led to a small passage like the one I was currently in.
I deactivate stealth and slowly start creeping towards the nearest hole. I deactivated stealth because I wanted to try and save my mp incase I needed it to fight and stealth cost 3 times the amount of mp when I move.
I get about halfway to the hole when I get a system notification.
[ding!]
[night vision has levelled up to level 2]
Finally!
Night vision took ages to level up. I think it might be because it's a passive skill but I don't know for sure.
The cavern suddenly feels bit lighter than before, so I take another look in the direction of the crunching sounds.
I still can see clearly but I can make out the rough outline of three black shapes huddled around something. I pause for a second and decide to try and use appraisal.
[lesser dream stalker]
[unable to appraise]
[lesser dream stalker]
A cold shiver runs down my spine. I'm not too bothered about the lesser dream stalkers but I am worried about the 'unable to appraise'.
At first I think it might be the big spider from before but instantly disregard the idea. It's not big enough to be that spider which can only mean that its some other kind of monster. It's properly another kind of spider monster because I don't think any other kind of monster would hang around with the lesser dream stalkers.
I am curious to what they are doing huddled together like that, but not curious enough to go over there and pick a fight with something that's stronger me.
All of a sudden I hear a low rumbling sound from the wall in front of me. My eyes quickly dart to the wall, trying to find whatever was making the noice.
Just then a patch of the wall crumbled away and out stepped a weird mole looking creature. It was just about bigger than me with a weird start shaped nose and dirty brown fur.
Its claws were easily the size of my head and looked like they were made of some kind of metal.
It reminded me a lot of the star-nosed mole back on earth, just a lot bigger and scarier.
Before I could even decide what to do it had already lunged at me, trying to impale me with its claws.
I instinctively summon a shadow shield slowing it down enough to dodge and run straight towards the hole I originally came from.
I had no intention of fighting here. I could already hear the scurrying of the spider legs heading in this direction and I don't want to be involved in some kind of three way battle!
Just as I was about to make it back into the hole, all a sudden a small pillar of earth shot to the ground, covering the entrance.
"Huh? Earth magic!"
I quickly spin round to face the only possible culprit, just to have to summon another shadow shield to try and dodge the stone that was flying straight towards me.
I jump to the side but unfortunately I'm not fast enough, and the stone grazes my shoulder causing a small cut to appear.
I wince at the unexpected pain and immediately activate appraisal.
[Tunnel rat]
A tunnel rat?
What part of that thing looks like a freaking rat?
It's clearly a mole!
[ding!]
{appraisal levelled up to level 2]
I don't have time to celebrate appraisal levelling up because just as I finish reading the words another stone shoots straight at me.
I summon another shadow shield and activate dash, I'm still not at full speed due to the spiderwebs still stuck to my body, but I manage to dodge it this time.
I activate appraisal again hoping to see some new information about this so called 'rat'.
[level 5 Tunnel rat]
Oh so it actually tells me the level now. That's a bit better than before but it's not really helpful in this situation. I already knew the tunnel rat was either at the same level as me or less because appraisal worked.
Not waiting for it to attack again I quickly summon a shadow beneath its feet and start running towards it. I would try to blind it but I remember the rock hermit was able to use earth magic to know where I was and this tunnel rats earth magic seems to be stronger, so no doubt it can do the same thing.
Besides I can't see its eyes anyways.
As I get close to it I get ready to use bite but before I can get close enough, a web hits the tunnel rat sending it rolling across the floor.
Oh crap! The spiders are already here!
I look to where the web came from and sure enough all three spiders are barley 10 meters away. I can finally see the third spider, the one I was unable to appraise.
It looked just like the lesser dream walkers apart from it was a bit bigger and had a strange white marking on its back.
I withdrew my shadow from below the tunnel rat and summoned it right in front of all the spiders trying to slow them down a bit. It worked but it won't take the bigger one too long to get through it. in the mean time I activate appraisal again, trying to see if I could appraise it now that appraisal is level 2.
[unable to appraise]
[level 3 lesser dream stalker]
[level 2 lesser dream stalker]